As an avid NYT reader and recycling professional, I have to say that you wildly missed the mark on Sunday when you printed John Tierney’s limited perspective on recycling. There’s good news though – the recycling industry is so well rooted that you have time to do some research and publish another more fact-based report. Here are a few ideas to get you going.

Connect with industry experts. The Recycling Partnership has many on staff and on our Technical Council – any of us would be happy to chat. Want an outside perspective? We’ll gladly connect you with those steeped in the daily realities of recycling: community officials, hauling companies, material recovery facility engineers, mill mangers, material buyers for end markets. The list goes on.

Hone in on the fact that recycling exists to fuel manufacturing. It’s easy to grasp the importance of landfill diversion and resource conservation, but unless you really dig into the phenomenal demand that US (and world) companies have for recycled content feedstock to make tomorrow’s everyday consumer goods, you’re missing the biggest story.

Consider material scarcity’s impact on the future. As brands step towards increased use of recycled feedstock and manufacturing looks to vertical integration, we further understand the long term importance for a robust recycling network to provide reliable material streams.

Recycling isn’t about feeling good. It’s not even solely about doing good. It’s about good solutions for long term economic and environmental health in this country and others. Finding an engaging, factual story (or series of stories) should be a cinch.
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